Moroccan Rami Lougmani signs his first professional contract with Anderlecht

On Tuesday, RSC Anderlecht announced the signing of a first professional contract with Rami Lougmani. The young Moroccan forward, just 16, has represented Morocco since the U15 level and is currently part of the U17 national team. Trained at Anderlecht’s Neerpede academy since the age of six, Rami Lougmani has stood out this season with the club’s U18 Elite 1 team, where he continues to develop his game and confirm his promising potential. He joined the Mauves’ training

Alboran Sea: A 4.9 magnitude earthquake felt in Morocco

A 4.9-magnitude earthquake was recorded on Tuesday, March 17, at around 11:24 p.m. in the Alboran Sea, near the Strait of Gibraltar. According to a bulletin from Morocco’s National Institute of Geophysics, the quake occurred at a latitude of 36.050°N and a longitude of 4.669°W, at a depth of 55 km. The tremor was felt across several regions in both Morocco and Spain. Online reports indicate it was experienced in cities ranging from Tangier to Casablanca, including Tetouan,

Spain steps up military presence in Ceuta for potential «threats» from Morocco

The Spanish military has recently stepped up its patrols and surveillance operations in Ceuta, a strategically important enclave on Morocco’s northern coast. According to El Confidencial Digital, this heightened vigilance comes amid ongoing military modernization efforts by several countries in the region, including Morocco. These measures, notably through the deployment of Operational Deterrence Platforms, aim to strengthen military presence, improve situational awareness, and ensure a

Moroccan banks secure operations in Europe with France agreement

Abdellatif Jouahri, Governor of Bank Al-Maghrib, expressed confidence on Tuesday in Rabat that Moroccan banks will be able to maintain their operations in Europe, following an agreement reached with France on the implementation of the European CRD VI directive. Set to take effect on July 9, 2024, the directive requires banking institutions from non-EU countries to establish an accredited branch in each member state where they provide basic banking services, with full compliance expected by

AFCON 2025: Senegalese federation to appeal CAF decision at CAS

The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) is reeling after learning on Tuesday that its Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco has been declared a forfeit, with the official score set at 3-0 in favor of the Atlas Lions. In response, the FSF has denounced the decision as «unjust, unprecedented, and unacceptable», and announced plans to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne to defend its rights and those of Senegalese football. This ruling

Bank Al-Maghrib keeps key interest rate unchanged at 2.25%

Bank Al-Maghrib (BAM) has decided to keep its key interest rate unchanged at 2.25%, following the first quarterly meeting of its board in 2026. The central bank said the decision reflects the continued momentum of economic activity, moderate inflation levels, and high uncertainty surrounding the global outlook, particularly in light of recent geopolitical developments. BAM added that stress tests conducted on the national economy also supported maintaining the current rate. The Bank noted

Morocco’s economic growth forecast at 5.6% in 2026

Morocco’s economic growth is expected to reach 5.6% in 2026, after improving to 4.8% in 2025, before slowing to 3.5% in 2027, according to projections by Bank Al-Maghrib (BAM). At the national level, very favorable weather conditions this year are expected to result in a significant increase in agricultural output, the central bank said in a statement issued following the first quarterly meeting of its board in 2026. The harvest of the three main cereals is projected to reach 82 million

Court rejects bid to reclaim €15,000 from Moroccan retiree

The High Court of Justice in the Region of Murcia has ruled against the Spanish Social Security's attempt to reclaim over 15,000 euros from a Moroccan retiree, affirming that his time spent in Morocco does not jeopardize his entitlement to the minimum pension supplement. This decision upholds an earlier verdict by the Cartagena Labor Court, which had overturned the National Institute of Social Security's (INSS) claim that the sum of 15,318.80 euros was «wrongfully obtained» and its

Nine Moroccan firms feature in Forbes Middle East 100 most valuable companies

Morocco ranks fourth in the MENA region by number of companies in Forbes Middle East’s 100 Most Valuable Companies 2026, with nine firms listed, according to data covering 12 stock exchanges as of January 2026. The Moroccan companies featured include construction group SGTM; three banking groups BANK OF AFRICA, BCP Group and Attijariwafa bank; building materials company LafargeHolcim Maroc; port operator Marsa Maroc; telecommunications operator Maroc Telecom; mining group Managem; and

Weather alert in Morocco: Snowfall, thunderstorms and strong winds expected

The Directorate General of Meteorology has issued an orange-level weather alert, forecasting snowfall, thunderstorms and locally strong winds across several regions of the kingdom on Tuesday and Wednesday. According to the alert, snowfall is expected at elevations above 2,000 meters, with accumulations ranging between 10 and 20 cm in the provinces of Ouarzazate, Tinghir, Al Haouz, Azilal and Midelt. The snowfall is expected to begin at midday on Tuesday and continue until 9 a.m. on

US considers Morocco as fertilizer supply option amid Iran war disruption

The Trump administration is exploring alternative sources of fertilizer, including Morocco, amid supply disruptions linked to the war with Iran, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said on Tuesday. «We’ve established licenses for Venezuela to produce more fertilizer. We’ve had discussions with Morocco», he said on CNBC’s Squawk Box, describing the move as «an insurance policy against disruption» for U.S. farmers. «I’m not saying we

Atlas Lions: Youssef Hajji appointed second assistant coach to Mohamed Ouahbi

Former Moroccan international Youssef Hajji has joined the national football team’s technical staff as second assistant coach to Mohamed Ouahbi. The appointment comes as part of efforts to strengthen the Atlas Lions’ coaching setup under the leadership of the U20 World Cup-winning coach. Hajji previously worked alongside Tarik Sektioui as an assistant coach, notably during the Olympic Games, the CHAN, and the Arab Cup. Meanwhile, Mohamed Ouahbi had announced during his

Morocco's Neil El Aynaoui victim of armed robbery at home in Rome

Moroccan international Neil El Aynaoui, a midfielder for AS Roma, was the victim of an armed robbery at his home in the Castel Fusano district of Rome in the early hours of Tuesday, according to Italian agency ANSA. The 24-year-old, who joined the club last summer from Lens, was at home when six masked and armed men broke in around 3 a.m. after forcing open a living room window, writes L’Equipe. El Aynaoui, his mother, his girlfriend, his brother and his brother’s girlfriend were

US ambassador Duke Buchan and Morocco’s Industry Minister discuss economic ties

U.S. Ambassador to Morocco Duke Buchan has met with Morocco’s Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour. During their meeting, the two officials discussed «partnerships to deepen economic cooperation», the American diplomat wrote on Monday on X. «Building on 250 years of friendship, Morocco offers boundless opportunities for U.S. firms looking to invest and ensure that Morocco and the United States share in a more prosperous future», he added. In December

AFCON final: Appeal hearing for 18 Senegalese fans postponed to March 30

The first appeal hearing for 18 Senegalese fans has been postponed to March 30, according to their lawyer, Naïma El Guellaf. Quoted by AFP, she said the Rabat Court of Appeal granted the defense’s request for a postponement to allow more time to prepare the case. On February 19, the defendants were sentenced at first instance to prison terms ranging from three months to one year for hooliganism following the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025) final in Morocco. The individuals were

Morocco arrests Taghi associate suspected of orchestrating Dutch journalist’s killing

A suspect in connection with the murder of Dutch crime reporter Peter R. de Vries has been arrested in Morocco. Ismail M. (34), suspected of orchestrating the killing 4.5 years ago and identified as a key figure within Ridouan Taghi’s criminal network, had already been detained in the kingdom last autumn, according to Het Parool. The investigation indicates that one of the Polish perpetrators, Krystian M., had been in contact with Ismail M. A photo of De Vries, taken on the evening of

Tindouf camps: Polisario seeks to cover up a racist assault

Racial discrimination in the Tindouf camps has resurfaced following the assault of a 13-year-old boy from the black community by members of an influential family belonging to the Rguibat tribe. The boy, identified as Mouloud, is being supported by the «Liberty and Democracy» Association, known for its advocacy on human rights issues in the camps. The NGO organized two sit-ins on March 7 and 14 in front of the Polisario’s administrative headquarters in the Rabouni camp. It

Beni Mellal police arrest five in major drug trafficking and attempted murder case

The anti-gang unit of the Beni Mellal police, in coordination with the Directorate General of Territorial Surveillance (DGST), arrested five individuals on Monday, including three repeat offenders. They are suspected of involvement in drug and psychotropic substance trafficking, as well as the attempted murder of a police officer in the line of duty. The operation was carried out in the rural area of Bni Khirat, about 20 km from Oued Zem, with the support of judicial police units from